Emily Mortimer gets all dressaged up

"It's such a double-edged sword," revealed the British actress, looking elegant, if slightly cold, in a sexy black strapless Balenciaga frock at the film's recent premiere bash at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "It's a bit like being a horse in dressage. Every step counts and it really takes it out of you. All those cameras on the carpets. I always have to have a big drink and an aspirin afterwards."

The outspoken young British actress, who won an Independent Spirit Award in 2003 for her supporting role in "Lovely and Amazing," also revealed the shocking truth when complimented on her chic new short bob. "I actually had a disastrous haircut recently. My hair looked as if I had a terrible disease and then someone dragged me through a hedge backwards. So I had to just cut to all off and start fresh."

The actress, who has a son, age 2, with husband-actor Alessandro Nivola, also has an unusual favorite 2005 film. "'Grizzly Man' by Werner Herzog is just so amazing. Really genius. And Timothy Treadwell is an incredible performer and a madman. I wish they could give him a posthumous award for that film."

Mortimer, who stars in the upcoming remake of "The Pink Panther" with Steve Martin playing Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau, has quite a few films in the works.

She's currently filming "Stray" and will next play a baby sitter in "Snow Angels" (with Sam Rockwell), followed by "Chaos Theory" with Stuart Townsend and, finally, she'll star in "Who Killed Norma Barnes?" a dark tale of sexual obsession based on Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot."

But working with Allen on "Match" remains one of her favorite film experiences. Why? Think location, location, location. "It was the best excuse to go home I've ever had. I love living in Los Angeles but I miss London terribly and I tend to use any excuse — to pick up a postage stamp — to fly back home to visit."

Photo: "Match Point" director Woody Allen, and Emily Mortimer, all dressaged up in a black Chanel halter dress, at a special screening at the Tribeca Grand in New York.(Dimitrios Kambouris / WireImage)